If your doctor learns that you do have breast cancer, additional tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging. Staging helps guide future treatment and follow-up and gives you some idea of what to expect in the future.

Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the 5-year survival rates for persons with breast cancer who are appropriately treated are as follows:

  • 100% for stage 0
  • 100% for stage I
  • 92% for stage IIA
  • 81% for stage IIB
  • 67% for stage IIIA
  • 54% for stage IIIB
  • 20% for stage IV

 

Stage 0

The breast cancer has not spread into surrounding tissue. A very early cancer that is highly treatable.

Stage I

The cancer is smaller than 2cm and has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes or outside the breast.

Stage II

Divided into 2 categories depending on whether it has spread and its size.

Stage IIA- less than 2 cm and has spread to up to 3 auxillary underarm lymph nodes. Or is up to 5 cm but has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes.

Stage IIB-between 2-5cm and has spread to up to 3  axillary underarm lymph nodes. Or  is larger than 5 cm but has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes.

Stage III

Divided into 2 categories

IIIA-between 2-5 cm and has spread to up to 9 axillary underarm lymph nodes.

IIIB-cancer has spread to tissue near the breast-skin, ribs, muscles, lymph nodes in the chest or above the collar bone.

Stage IV

Cancer has spread to other organs or tissues -liver, brain, lungs, lymph nodes near the collar bone.